Shinfield Parish Councillor Marjory Bisset, left, and campaigner Nora Muir, right, show Green Party leader Natalie Bennett the land owned by Reading University which has been earmarked for a two hundred housing development

Green Party leader Natalie Bennett fears Shinfield could lose its community spirit after plans were approved for hundreds of homes on greenfield land.

The politician believes the plans for 1,350 homes will erode the green lung between Shinfield, neighbouring villages and Reading.

Ms Bennett, who toured the earmarked land with Green parish councillor Marjory Bisset and campaigner Nora Muir on Thursday, learned the proposals were controversially given the go-ahead by Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Eric Pickles in November.

Ms Bennett, who was appointed party leader in September, said: “Development on greenfield land is a big issue.

“This is part of my national campaign. It’s an issue I’ve been finding up and down the country – I’ve seen it in Southampton and Chester.

“We need this greenfield land. It’s the lung between towns and cities.

“If the existing community is absorbed into the development you risk losing the community spirit.

“We need to be developing brownfield areas in places that are appropriate, where people can rely on public transport – not cars.”

The development, granted following appeals by the University of Reading, will include a primary school, supermarket, a community building, sports pavilion and open space, a relief road to Shinfield and an M4 bridge.